2 . When my father was getting ready for work, our house was ruled by knocks and words. He used to come downstairs to breakfast.

The morning paper lay beside his plate. He always read the “Deaths” first, and then he knocked once on the table. One of my sisters brought his bread, already buttered for him. Usually he said nothing, but once I heard him say, “I love you very much, Edith. I would love more if you buttered my bread on both sides.” He read the paper all through breakfast.

Two knocks on the table meant “I am ready for my tea. “If a single knock followed that meant, “More bread, please.”

After breakfast he said, “Boots.” The paper was spread for him over the back of an armchair. Yesterday’s paper was put on the chair for his feet, and his boots were brought to him, freshly cleaned. He read standing at the same time putting on his boots. With one boot finished he said, “Bus.” At that point one of the girls went outside to the garden gate and waited there. Her job was to stop a bus when it came. It came early sometimes and it had to wait for my father. “Overcoat, hat.” One of my sisters had already brushed his overcoat. Now she held it open for him. Another girl came with his hat, nicely brushed. “Handkerchief,pipe.” They were brought and put, with his tobacco, into his pocket. He looked out of the window and said either “Walking stick” or “Umbrella”. It was handed to him. Ready now, he was still reading the paper. He didn’t put it down until he heard the shout “Bus coming!” Then he kissed my mother and went out. The girls breathed freely.

How lucky a man was to have a wife and five daughters at home!

1. When the father made the first knock, he meant ________.

A．he had begun to read the morning newspaper.	B．he was made to feel sad by the “Deaths” news.
C．he would start to read the other parts of the paper.	D．his breakfast should begin.

2. What does “Edith” refer to?

A．A kind of bread.	B．One of the writer’s sisters.
C．The writer.	D．The writer’s mother.

3. All the daughters were quite busy in the morning because ________.

A．their father never helped them.

B．their father always gave different instructions at the same time.

C．each of them had to start and finish her job just on time.

D．they were not clever or quick enough to do their jobs.

4. From the story we may see that ________.

A．the father was so lazy that he hardly did anything.

B．the father was the “centre” of the family.

C．every girl in the family was afraid to do wrong because they didn’t know clearly enough what to do.

D．the father was hated by all his daughters.

3 . For children, communication with older adults is important when visits with grandparents are called off because of the pandemic(流行病).

Even before COVID-19 sent older adults into hiding, grandparents and great-grandparents could often seem like strangers to kids. Contact might include gifts of toys meant for someone a little younger, forced piano performances by parents, and really bad jokes. So, coming up with what to say to those out -of-touch people through a camera can be hard. It can be a lot of pressure for kids.

Yet keeping up with older relatives has mental and physical health benefits for everyone. According to studies, older adults who participate in programming between generations show more happiness, better self-care. And a strong relationship between grandparents and grandchildren can lessen depressive tendencies(抑郁倾向) in both adults and kids.

Having an actual relationship with a grandparent can also help children develop qualities that make all-around great citizens. “Children are born to be me, me, me,” says Tina-Anne Praas of SKIP, an Ontario-based organization. “But seeing a person who has experienced life stages pulls them away from that thinking. They can gain some worldly points of view.”

Being close with a grandparent can also help children develop communication skills, especially when they’re able to learn about and compare their experiences with a grandparent’s. And it doesn’t carry the pressure of talking to a parent.

Tina-Anne Praas adds that students who were worried about life after graduation eagerly listen to older adults sharing their own experiences from the same time of life, 50-plus years ago. One student says, “My interactions(互动) with my grandparents encouraged me to become a physician.”

1. What causes much stress for kids?

A．Playing the piano in public.

B．Communicating with grandparents online.

C．Buying gifts for other younger children.

D．Being out of touch with parents for a long time.

2. What does the underlined phrase “that thinking” refer to in paragraph 4?

A．Seeing an experienced person.

B．Kids’ own ideas about the world.

C．Children’s care of themselves only.

D．Keeping contact with grandparents.

3. What is Tina-Anne Praas’ attitude towards communication between generations?

A．Supportive.	B．Doubtful.
C．Uncertain.	D．Worried.

4. Grandchildren benefit from older relatives by____.

A．listening to stories online

B．watching what they do daily

C．forming new ideas about themselves

D．communicating and interacting with them

4 . The terraced rapeseed(油菜)flower hills of Jiangling, Wuyuan is well-known as one of the four “seas of flowers” in China, attracting thousands of plant-loving tourists to come and appreciate and photograph the vast and endless rapeseed flower fields.

“Rapeseed flowers are the messenger of spring,” said Bin Zhan, manager of Jiangxi Wuyuan Tourism, “Jiangling is the best place for a relaxing spring trip to enjoy the most visually impressive views of golden seas of rapeseed blossoms covering layered terrace fields”.

The rapeseed blossom in the terraced fields of Jiangling, located 45 kilometres to the northeast of Wuyuan County, Jiangxi Province, reached full bloom in the second week of March.

This year. Wuyuan restores ancient farming traditions and practices to give visitors an idea or the history ，culture and folk customs of the county by adding scarecrows(稻草人) in the rapeseed flower fields. The creative scarecrows of Wuyuan County are designed in the shapes of popular cartoon characters, Hui-style architecture and folk customs. They are placed in the rapeseed fields to provide more fun and interactions for visitors on flower viewing tours.

“As flower viewing is becoming more popular in recent years, Jiangling is seeing a growing number of returning visitors, especially professional photograph who come back every year for the dramatic rapeseed blossoms,” Zhan said. “The blossoms only last one to two months. April is the last chance to catch a flower-viewing tour this year.”

In addition to flower viewing, Wuyuan County is also home to the most well-protected ancient Hui-style architecture in China. As one of the most beautiful countryside villages in China, it attracts photographers from around the world every year to document not only the natural scenery, but also the unique farming culture and folk traditions.

1. Which is NOT one of the features of the rapeseed blossoms of Jiangling？

A．The rapeseed fields cover a limited area.

B．The rapeseed is planted on layered terraces.

C．Rapeseed flowers blossom, at the beginning of spring.

D．When the flowers blossom, the fields are like a golden sea.

2. What does the underlined word “They” refer to？

A．Folk customs.	B．Hui-style buildings.
C．Creative scarecrows.	D．Models of popular cartoon characters.

3. What can we infer from Paragraph 5？

A．Returning visitors get discount when entering Jiangling.

B．Visitors could catch the last flower viewing tour in May.

C．It is in March and April that Jiangling has the most visitors.

D．Not many professional photographers will go to see the blossoms.

4. What is the writing purpose of this article？

A．To introduce Wuyuan County as a tourist destination.

B．To report how many people visited Jiangling this year.

C．To introduce the history of rapeseed farming in Jiangling.

D．To remind visitors the best viewing time for rapeseed blossoms.

5 . Several large companies have begun creating paper bottles to take the place of glass and plastic ones. Paper bottles aren’t quite ready to go yet, but you may see them appearing on shelves over the next few years.

Customers have become more worried about the environment, so many companies have begun working to develop paper bottles. Paper bottles have many benefits. Perhaps the most important is that they can be easily recycled. Paper bottles also weigh less than glass or plastic ones, meaning they’ll require less energy to produce and to move around. Since paper is soft and easy to be shaped, companies can design their bottles to take almost any shape they choose.

A company called Paboco has been working with many large companies to develop paper bottles. The companies are creating their own bottle designs, but they’re sharing what they learn to speed up the development of paper bottle technology.

Clearly, one of the biggest challenges is keeping a paper bottle from leaking (漏). Many companies are lining (做内衬) their bottles with a thin sheet of plastic. Though bottle makers may say they can be removed, many recycling programs don’t have the right machines to handle them.

A company named Diageo has just announced the first paper bottle that is completely plastic-free. Instead of a plastic liner, a non-plastic coating will be used on the inside of the bottles. This should make the bottle fully recyclable. But even without the plastic, paper bottles aren’t perfect, which means more trees need to be cut down to make the bottles.

There’s still lots of testing to be done before paper bottles can replace glass or plastic ones. But with so many companies working toward the same goal, it’s likely that we can expect to see paper bottles on store shelves in the near future.

1. What is the greatest advantage of paper bottles according to the passage?

A．They are lighter than plastic or glass ones.

B．They are soft and can be easily shaped.

C．They can be moved around with less energy.

D．They are easy to recycle and environmentally friendly.

2. What is Paboco doing to improve the development of paper bottle technology?

A．It’s cooperating with some other large companies.

B．It’s creating its own bottle designs.

C．It’s studying how to prevent paper bottles from leaking alone.

D．It’s trying to keep its technology secret from others.

3. What does the underlined word “they” in Paragraph 4 refer to?

A．Many companies.	B．The paper bottles.
C．The thin sheets of plastic.	D．Bottle makers.

4. What can we infer from the last two paragraphs?

A．A non-plastic coating is the best solution to the problem of pollution.

B．Paper bottles still need to be improved before appearing in stores.

C．Paper bottles have taken the place of glass or plastic ones so far.

D．Many companies are working toward the same goal.

6 . Dubai is the commercial capital of the oil-rich United Arab Emirates in the Persian Gulf. But officials want to turn it into the world’s “smartest” city. Earlier this year, Dubai announced plans to be the world’s first city to use self-driving taxis. In June, it placed the first robot police officer at shopping centers and places popular with visitors. Dubai police officials now say they plan to use self-driving vehicles to patrol (巡逻) city streets by the end of the year.

Dubai will be the first in the world to use the O-R3 vehicle, according to the Singapore company that builds it. The company, OTSAW Digital, recently signed an agreement with the Dubai Police force to supply the driverless robots.

The vehicles look a lot like most other automobiles, but are much smaller. They are equipped with cameras, machine learning tools and 3D technology to help them operate independently. The robots automatically charge themselves when power gets low.

The vehicle’s cameras can scan faces and record registration information to check for criminals and possible illegal activities. A police official said the robot can recognize people in any area. It will be used to “identify suspicious objects and follow suspects.” “We seek to increase operations with the help of technology such as robots,” said Dubai’s police chief. “We always search for the best technology to serve our police work for a safer and smarter city.”

The O-R3 can communicate with computers at police centers in different locations. The patrolling robot is able to send data and video to the centers, where operators can control the vehicle remotely. The vehicles can also work together with drones (无人机) that can be launched from the back of the robot. The drones can then follow the vehicles and provide more support from the air.

The CEO of OTSAW Digital, Ting Ming Ling, says the use of such vehicles is designed to help humans with their jobs, not replace them. “Eventually, robots exist to improve the quality of human lives, where men take on high value jobs while robots perform the low skilled ones,” he said.

1. What does the underlined word “them” in paragraph 3 refer to?

A．Learning tools.	B．O-R3 vehicles.
C．Common automobiles.	D．3D cameras.

2. What’s the main purpose of using the OR3 vehicles for patrolling?

A．To take the place of the work of human beings.

B．To gather information of faces in the streets.

C．To help investigate criminal activities more effectively.

D．To keep an eye on people’s behaviors in the city.

3. What does the drone do?

A．Gather more information for O-R3 vehicle.

B．Protect the vehicle from the sky.

C．Show directions for the vehicle.

D．Control the vehicle remotely.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．Police in Dubai Have the Most Advantaged Equipment

B．Dubai Will Put Self-Driving Police Vehicles on Streets

C．You Will Not See Police Officers in the Streets of Dubai

D．Robot Police Officers Are Much Smarter than Human Ones

7 . Anyone who commutes (通勤) by car knows that traffic jams are an unavoidable part of life. But humans are not alone in facing potential backups.

Ants also commute—between their nest and sources of food. The survival of their colonies depends on doing this efficiently.

When humans commute, there’s a point at which cars become dense (稠密) enough to slow down the flow of traffic, causing jam. Motsch, a mathematician in Arizona State University, and his colleagues wanted to know if ants on the move could also get stuck. So they regulated traffic density by constructing bridges of various widths between a colony of Argentine ants and a source of food. Then they waited and watched. “The goal was to try to find out at what point they are going to have a traffic jam.” said Sebastien Motsch.

But it appears that that never happened. They always managed to avoid traffic jam. The flow of ants did increase at the beginning as ants started to fill the bridge and then levelled off at high densities. But it never slowed down or stopped, even when the bridge was nearly filled with ants.

The researchers then took a closer look at how the behaviour of individual ants impacted traffic as a whole. And they found that when ants sense overcrowding, they adjust their speeds and avoid entering high-density areas, which prevents jams. These behaviours may be promoted by pheromones, chemicals that tell other ants where a trail is. The ants also manage to avoid colliding (碰撞) with each other at high densities, which could really slow them down. The study is in the journal eLife.

Can ants help us solve our own traffic problems? Not likely, says Motsch. That’s because when it comes to getting from point A to point B as fast as possible, human drivers put their own goals first. Individual ants have to be more cooperative in order to feed the colony. But the research could be useful in improving traffic flow for self-driving cars, which can be designed to be less like selfish humans—and more like ants.

1. What does the underlined word “this” in para.2 refer to?

A．Surviving.	B．Commuting.
C．Finding food.	D．Avoiding jams.

2. How did the researchers control the traffic density of the commuting ants?

A．By finding out the dense points.	B．Through closer observation.
C．By controlling the widths of their path.	D．By regulating their numbers.

3. According to the research, ants can avoid traffic jams mainly because ________.

A．they follow a special route.

B．they level off at high densities.

C．they never stop or slow down on the way.

D．they depend on their natural chemicals to adjust their speeds.

4. What is the best title of the passage?

A．Traffic jams.	B．Unavoidable? Not for ants!
C．Survival of an ant colony.	D．Difference between human and ants.

8 . In life，once on a path，we tend to follow it，for better or worse.What's sad is that even if it's the latter，we often accept it anyway because we are so used to the way things are that wed don't even recognize that they could be different This is a phenomenon psychologist call functional fixedness.

This classic experiment will give you an idea of how it works and a sense of whether you may have fallen into the same trap: People are given a box of tacks (大头钉) and some matches and asked to find a way to attach a candle to a wall so that it burns properly.

Typically, the subjects try tacking the candle to the wall or lighting it to fix it with melted wax. The psychologists had, of course, arranged it so that neither of these obvious approaches would work. The tacks are too short, and the paraffin (石蜡) doesn't stick to the wall. So how can you complete the task? The successful technique is to use the tack box as a candle-holder. You empty it, tack it to the wall. and stand the candle inside it. To think of that, you have to look beyond the box's usual role as a receptacle just for tacks and re-imagine it serving an entirely new purpose. That is difficult because we all suffer to one degree or another from functional fixedness.

The inability to think in new ways affects people in every corner of society. The political theorist Hannah Arendt coined the phrase“frozen thoughts”to describe deeply held ideas that we no longer question but should. In Arendt's eyes, the self- content reliance on such accepted “truths”also made people blind to ideas that didn't fit their worldview, even when there was plenty of evidence for them.

Frozen thinking has nothing to do with intelligence, she said,“It can be found in highly intelligent people.”

1. What does the underlined word“it”in paragraph 2 refer to?

A．The experiment.	B．Functional fixedness.
C．The path.	D．The thinking.

2. Which way is hard to think of to complete the task?

A．Tacking the candle to the wall.

B．Fixing the candle with melted wax.

C．Using the tack box as a candle-holder.

D．Lighting the candle to stand it.

3. Which of the following statements will Hannah Arendt agree with?

A．People should question.

B．We should be used to the way things are.

C．People shouldn't accept the idea that doesn't fit their worldview.

D．The smarter people are，the more open to the new things they are.

4. What's the passage mainly about?

A．An interesting experiment

B．A psychological phenomenon.

C．A theory to be proved.

D．The opinion of Hannah Arendt.

9 . Life in the Internet age is lonely—or is it? That’s what experts in human interaction are debating after a new Stanford University survey has been published.

According to the study, the more time people spend online, the less they can spare for real-life relationships with family and friends. The researchers asked 113 people about the Web’s influence on daily activities. 36％ of those people are online for more than five hours a week.” As Internet use becomes more widespread, it will have an increasingly isolating (孤立的) effect on society,” says Robert Kraut, one of the researchers.

Scholars and Web lovers criticized the study for stretching its data to make the “isolating” point. While 13％ of regular Web users admitted the loss of time with loved ones, 60％ reported watching less TV. The survey also shows that E-mail is the most popular online activity. If some of webheads (网虫)spend what was once passive TV time keeping company with friends via E-mails, “that’s a move toward greater connectedness,” says Paul Resnick, a professor at the University of Michigan.

This isn’t the first claim that the Web should be criticized. A 1998 report monitored 73 Pittsburgh-area families’ Net use for a year. People who used the Internet more “talked less to family members and reported being lonelier and more depressed.” says Robert Kraut.

“It’s true that there have been big declines in social connectedness over the past decades, but those declines began before the Internet was invented,” says Thomas Putnam.

As Amitay Etzioni says, the Internet gives us a different kind of social life—not better or worse than before, but just different.

1. Who claimed that the Web had negative influence?

A．Paul Resnick.	B．Robert Kraut.
C．Thomas Putnam.	D．Amitay Etzioni.

2. The underlined word “This” in Para.4 refers to       .

A．the opinion expressed in Bowling Alone

B．the survey made by the University of Michigan

C．the conclusion in a report written in 1998

D．the study conducted by Stanford University

3. From the passage we learn that       .

A．watching TV used to take time away from staying online

B．the Web was blamed more than once for causing an isolating effect

C．36％ of web users spend more than five hours a week online

D．the Web has the same influence as telephones and televisions

4. The passage mainly discusses       .

A．how we can make a better use of the Internet

B．how declines in social connectedness appear

C．whether the Internet causes an isolating effect

D．what a different life the Internet brings to us